


Character Bios

by Alacri, astrotheology, Despondent Nauticae (Multikicker), praesaepe, touchtone



Category: The Transformers (Cartoon Generation One), The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: This Is The Exposition Before The Storm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-01 06:39:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 3,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16759930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alacri/pseuds/Alacri, https://archiveofourown.org/users/astrotheology/pseuds/astrotheology, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multikicker/pseuds/Despondent%20Nauticae, https://archiveofourown.org/users/praesaepe/pseuds/praesaepe, https://archiveofourown.org/users/touchtone/pseuds/touchtone
Summary: What the title says! The character bios for characters in this, the slightly strange, mostly fleshy, 90% Summer Camp IDW SummerVerse.SummerVerse is a pet project of a few Transformers fans! While this fic isn't a very plot-based work, keep an eye on the collection as we start writing a few snapshots of camp life and the emerging storyline :)





	1. Optimus Prime (of the Portland Primes)

**Optimus Prime**

_Camp Director  
_

53 years old

Pronouns: He/Him

Likes: books, horseback riding, community service, The Great Outdoors

Dislikes: corruption, bullies, pollution

'I'm Optimus Prime, of the Portland Primes, and this is my son, Rodimus.'

Optimus Prime - of the Portland Primes, as he will no doubt be quick to tell you - is the Camp Director of Camp New Cybertron. He's mostly hands-off, as he prefers to leave the corralling of children and the management of the daily activities to his trusted Senior Counsellor, Ultra Magnus, though he does take care of the bills. A retired member of the National Park Service, Optimus is a caring and stalwart individual, quick to trust and quicker to forgive. He's focussed on improving himself and the world, and presenting a good image of his family, the Primes, in an effort to disassociate himself and his son Rodimus with the actions of his father and grandfather, the corrupt Mayors Nova and Sentinel Prime.

Optimus had to work hard to get to where he is today, and now the thing he wants to do the most is to give back to the community and improve the lives of kids in bad positions, hence why Camp New Cybertron offers camperships to kids whose life situations are not the best. Not one for half measures, he also runs a charity nonprofit for at-risk kids, the Leg Up Fund, using the money and stock he inherited from his father and grandfather. Using once-dirty money to fund a clean future is something he takes a great pride in.

Most of the time, he can be found on the front porch of his cabin near the Point Campfire Circle, reading a book or chatting with his old friends, Kup, Roller, and Ironhide. Sometimes, he performs some skits at the campfire.  
  
Camp rumours, most likely spread by some of the staff, allege that he, not the many wild and dangerous creatures of the woods, is the strongest thing in the forest, and that at one point he suplexed a bear.


	2. Rodimus Prime

**Rodimus Prime**

_Junior Camp Counsellor of Cabin 1, Certified Cool Dude_

22 years old

Pronouns: He/Him

Likes: colourful clothing, muscle cars, sweets, being 'authentic'

Dislikes: parental embarrassment, 'haters', letting people down, failure

'Ugh, Dad, you're _**embarrassing**_ me........'

Rodimus Prime, son of the omnipresent and stereotypically decent Optimus Prime, never really stopped being a teenager. That much is plainly obvious to anyone who sees his cherished red sports car, his extensive library of video games, and bleary post-all-nighter morning expression. Don't hold it against him, though. For all the time he slacks off, he has a good heart, and genuinely tries his best to be a competent and 'inspiring' camp counsellor for Cabin 1, despite the lack of self-esteem and and anxiety that hides just beneath his bluster.  
  
In his high school days, Rodimus hung around with his friends Gizmo, Download, Backbeat, and Dealer. Dealer, unfortunately, grew jealous and got the others trumped up on underage drug possession charges. Gizmo, Backbeat, and Download were sent to juvie, and Rodimus was only spared because his father (correctly) attested that he wasn't that type of kid. However, even Good Old Stand-Up Guy Optimus couldn't get all the kids off, and as a result Rodimus began to feel like it was his fault his friends had been locked up. Eventually, justice was had, but Rodimus' self-esteem never recovered, and he is constantly afraid bad things will happen to the people he cares about.

He makes extensive use of the staff wifi, and owns a 1 TB-memory Xbox One he calls 'The Magnificence'.


	3. Nautica & Nautica

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> that's right, there's two of them.

**Nautica & Nautica**

_Permanent Camp Residents & Double Trouble._

14 and 14 years old

Pronouns: She/Her & She/Her

Likes: their dog Wrench, autumn, adventure, listening to stories

Dislikes: Local Cryptid Gibbons McMike, raw tomatoes, haughty and stuck-up people

'C'mon, Wrench, we've places to be!'  
'Yep! Adventure awaits in the Dark Woods!'

There are few constant fixtures at Camp New Cybertron. Like the seasons themselves, a majority of counsellors and staff only work half the year, them having other jobs and lives. However, of the few permanent/semi-permanent residents of the camp, none are so ubiquitous as Nautica and Nautica, collectively know as either the Nautwincas or the Nauticae, depending on who you ask. Adventurous and energetic, the Nauticae participate in many of the camp activities, but none of the campers themselves know that Nautica is ever more than one person. One of the twins generally stays in the staff cabin for the season, whilst the other lives in one of the cabins with campers, and they alternate throughout the year.

Orphaned at a young age (ten years), the Nauticae were offered a permanent home at Camp New Cybertron by Mr. Prime, who, along with Rung, the camp psychologist, thought - correctly - that the camp could probably raise them better than the orphanage. After all, as far as he was concerned, Optimus had a chance to make a positive difference, and he was going to take it. So it was that Nautica and Nautica - never nicknamed, counsellors simply and correctly assume that the twin they are addressing will share the information with the other - came to be the universally mischievous and yet somehow perpetually blameless unofficial camp mascots.  
  
The unnerving degree of similarity in personality, speech patterns, and known information has lead many of the more spiritually inclined counsellors to theorise that the twins have some sort of psychic connection.


	4. Arcee

**Arcee**

_Senior Counsellor-At-Large, Person of Mystery, 'Killer Queen'_

27 years old

Pronouns: She/Her

Likes: kickboxing, edged weapons, sitting by herself and staring sadly out at the sunset

Dislikes: people who tell her to 'calm down', nosy people, interruptions

'You think you're hot stuff, you gremlin? Take me on and square up like you mean it, unless you're a slagging _coward._ '

The enigmatic and volatile Arcee has been stated by many campers to be a 'human whirlwind', provoked by the slightest affront and leaving destruction in her wake. She has often picked fights with arrogant and upstart campers and chaperones, always soundly putting them in their place with little to no injury. Many attendees of Camp New Cybertron grow to fear her propensity for punishing rulebreakers and miscreants, so much so that Ultra Magnus has started threatening letting her know about the offences campers may commit as a warning during the opening seminar. Despite this raging persona, she can be a surprisingly empathetic individual, and often privately consoles campers going through periods of grief or loss, talking to them until they can find time to see Rung.

Arcee has had a hard life, and privately many of the staff feel quite sorry for her for what she has had to endure, though they fear to say so publicly due to past.......incidents. She has never told anyone about it except Optimus, and he then brought it up to the staff as a topic to not prod her about. She has been at Camp New Cybertron for seven long years, having first joined when Optimus offered her a place to live and work after finding her in a bar and hearing her story. Once adrift in a sea of self-hatred and misery, Arcee has now found a place that will welcome her and give her a home. And she'll fight for it. Oh, will she fight for it. Her staff callsign isn't 'Killer Queen' for nothing.

Sometimes, when she's sitting and lost in thought, she can be overheard murmuring the name 'Hardhead'.


	5. Cyclonus

**Cyclonus**

_Camper, Resident of Cabin 1_

Age: 14

Pronouns: she/her

Likes: Nail care, Ren Faire/SCA, Church choir, ~~Tailgate~~

Dislikes: Idiots (so, in her opinion, most people), loud noises, sharing, legitimate emotions

"You don't just tell a girl you like her, Whirl."

Cyclonus didn’t even want to go to camp. She much would have preferred staying at home, going to SCA meetings and Renaissance fairs with her parents during the week and singing in her church choir on Sundays. Those things sounded fun, entertaining. She didn’t want to deal with strangers and crowded cabins and those idiots from the rival school that haven’t been able to beat her school in VEX robotics yet, but, here she is. Her parents had decided she needed to “make new friends,” so they sent her off to a camp, choosing one that was actually pretty close to where Uncle Galvatron lives.

Ever since Uncle Galvatron, like, sold his soul or something to get rich, he’s been funding their family’s exploits. Cyclonus’s parents thought he would love the opportunity to dote on his favorite (and only) niece. Cyclonus thinks that they don’t quite know how camps work, because family can’t just visit whenever, but whatever.

While she and Whirl didn’t get along initially, she can now usually be found hanging out with the excitable girl and helping her keep out of trouble, for the most part. That, or watching Tailgate from a distance. If you ask her, she’ll deny the crush, but her red face says otherwise.


	6. Tailgate

**Tailgate**

_Camper, Resident of Cabin 1_

Age: ~~34~~ 14

Pronouns: she/her

Likes: Tomb Raider, Tamagotchis, Movies, Cyclonus

Dislikes: Liars, people who make fun of how she dresses,

“Has anyone seen my Tamagotchi?”

There’s not really a better way to phrase it - Tailgate was stuck in time for almost 20 years. She’s not really sure what happened, but late May of 1998, she tried to cut through the woods near her house after school so she could get home faster and got lost. When she finally emerged after what felt like only a few hours, it was November of 2017. Everything was different. What had once been a small neighborhood where her home had been was now a strip mall on one side and a Walmart on the other.

Luckily, longtime local Ratchet found her sitting on the curb, sobbing, and called the cops. They didn’t believe her at first when she told them who she was, but Ratchet quickly remembered the story and they confirmed it was her when they finally pulled the file on her disappearance. The problem? Her parents had long since moved away, and they had no way of contacting them. Ratchet begrudgingly offered up the camp as a place to stay, knowing it was what Optimus - who was away on an errand at the time - would want (he was right, of course - Ratchet had barely told him that she couldn’t reach her parents when Optimus said that there were free spots in the cabins). It took them a month to track down her parents, and several long phone calls before they believed it wasn’t a terrible prank. They flew down from where they lived in Alaska, took one look at her, and sobbed.

She finally convinced them to let her go to the camp for the late June session, so she could once again thank the people that helped her and have some (supervised) space. She’s glad to have the opportunity to learn about kids her age nowadays, as well as the chance to look for the Tamagotchi she dropped in the woods.


	7. Hoist

**Hoist**

_Camp Handyman, Surprisingly Normal_

41 years old

Pronouns: He/Him

Likes: well-constructed buildings, the mountain air (it's ‘good for his health’), the Satisfaction Of A Job Well Done™

Dislikes: chaotic situations, shoddy craftsmanship, large metropolises, troublemakers

‘If you break the zipline again, Whirl, your summer here will consist of _nothing_ but cleaning showers and scrubbing floors!’

Hoist is uncomplicated. He’s worked at Camp New Cybertron since he was 17, back when it was Camp Iacon in the 90’s, and most, if not all, of the buildings that comprise the camp today were raised under Hoist’s watchful eye or his with his calloused hands. He doesn’t take flak from anybody, and woe betide the camper that damages equipment or totally fails their cabin inspection, for his is the righteous fury of one who has put their heart and soul into a public place and does not want to see it fall into ruin.

Hoist’s hands are in _everything_ that happens at Camp New Cybertron. Be it classes, cabins, activities, or dining, he keeps things running smoothly at all times, more of a Groundskeeper than Handyman, and that’s just the way he likes it. He doesn’t really converse with anyone beyond the needed discussion about broken or damaged items and things needing upkeep, but occasionally he can be see sitting with Optimus and the others and reminiscing about the Olden Days.

He owns several dozen tools nobody has ever seen before, and many are convinced he makes most of them by hand.


	8. Magnus

**Magnus**

_Senior Camp Counsellor_

Age: 43

Pronouns: he/him

Likes: working out, sudoku, music from the 1950s and earlier

Dislikes: inaccurate* clocks, unprofessionalism, rudeness   
_*in this case, “inaccurate” = too fast or slow by 15 seconds or more_

Tall, broad, smartly dressed and obsessively neat, Magnus is the very model of military precision. He expects the campers to set an example for themselves and others by dressing neatly, being punctual and maintaining their cabins. Campers with vivid imaginations regularly report sightings of local cryptid Gibbons McMike in the forest, but nobody has ever claimed to see Mr. Magnus smile. He may be something of a joke among the campers and even the junior counsellors, but it's likely that the place would fall apart without him.

Magnus served in the army for over twenty years, but saw relatively little action in that time. His determination, patience, keen eye for detail, and obsessive adherence to rules were noticed quickly and led to fewer roles on the front lines and more jobs in organisation and training - most notoriously as a drill sergeant. Magnus understood and appreciated this efficient and sensible use of his skillset, but always felt vaguely dissatisfied and cooped up.   
Everything changed when his brother Dominus, an air force officer older than him by just a year, was involved in a single-plane crash during a routine operation. Dominus survived, received an honourable discharge and moved back to his hometown to recover. Magnus felt it was his duty to help his brother however he could - much to Dominus’ dismay, he cut his own career short and also moved back home to care for him.

Five years later Dominus is still recuperating but can look after himself day-to-day. He’s active in the community, more so than his less sociable brother, and is friendly with Optimus due to the latter’s regular attendance at veterans’ events. Dominus was the one who suggested Magnus apply for the job at the camp - it’s close enough for Magnus to be within reach during an emergency and it suits Magnus’ skills. Magnus is having trouble grasping the idea that a camp full of kids runs differently to a group of soldiers-in-training, but he’s trying. He learned on day one that his drill sergeant voice isn’t appropriate any more.

Is he happy? Define happy. He knows he’s made morally correct life choices, he gets satisfaction from making sure the camp runs smoothly day-to-day and he’s imparting valuable lessons to today’s youth, and he’s intensely, _fiercely proud_ of his big brother’s achievements. By that metric, yes, he’s very happy.


	9. Ratchet

**Ratchet**

_Camp Medic, retired surgeon and teacher_

Age: 61

Pronouns: he/him

Likes: sturdy warm clothing, reading, coffee, peaceful mornings

Dislikes: timewasters, cold weather, “alternative medicine”

Ratchet’s led a full life - that much is clear from the frown and laughter lines on his face, salt-and-pepper hair and crackling joints - and he’s not done yet. The camp medic might have trouble running more than a few yards, but his short temper and lack of patience means he’s generally more intimidating to campers than Magnus. Not many of them realise that his gruff attitude is only one facet of his personality; he’s cranky because he _cares_ , so eat your damn vegetables and stop climbing the trees.

He trained as a surgeon and as a younger man he pioneered a dozen groundbreaking surgeries that have saved countless lives, but naturally the lives he couldn’t save are the ones he remembers most. Arthritis in his hands and a bad back forced him to quit prematurely, one of the many things he grumbles bitterly about to the other camp counsellors when he falls into one of his moods. He found a place teaching at a medical school until worsening heart problems (caused in no small part by his short fuse) led him to a crossroads.  
His old friend Optimus came to his rescue and offered him a position as a medic at Camp New Cybertron, which he reluctantly accepted. Spending months on end trying to keep bratty preteens out of trouble didn’t exactly appeal to him, but he (begrudgingly) conceded that it was better than having a coronary before the age of 65. _Just about_ better.

He’s forever going to be thankful to Optimus for the invitation. He hadn’t left the city for years, and the break from traffic jams and built-up horizons took years off him within weeks. He won’t admit it, but he loves the kids’ reckless energy and feels connected to his younger self when they’re around. They may be idiots with the self-preservation instincts of a fly, but they’re _happy_ idiots. And they’ll be the safest idiots around if he has anything to do with it.  
He enjoys the company of his fellow camp counsellors too; he hadn’t realised until his arrival just what a crabby old fart he’d become in his old life. The friendliness of the other counsellors makes him _want_ to be a nicer person. Usually. He could do without Red Alert’s 5am false alarms and Drift’s hippy nonsense.  
When he travels back to the comforts of the city in the winter months (the cold in the cabins makes his joints ache), he sorely misses the kids and can’t wait for the spring to arrive. But you didn’t hear that from him.


	10. Chromedome

**Chromedome**

_Camper, resident of Cabin 1_

Age: 13 years old

Pronouns: he/him

Likes: books, stargazing, coding, poking things with sticks, Rewind

Dislikes: nightmares, forgetting things, counselors physically separating him and Rewind, his inability to whistle

* * *

_“Pf- no, wait, I’ll get it this time, Rewind, listen - pff...”_

* * *

The great outdoors is not Chromedome’s forte. His element would be better described as “digital,” plopped in front of a keyboard writing code for his best friend Brainstorm’s homemade robotic trebuchet. See, it’s cool, it launches firecrackers over 200 feet into the air, and he’s made it check the wind direction so that it will always launch due north-

...alright, maybe his time is better spent outside.

Chromedome and some of the other strapping young folk from the VEX Robotics team of Kimia Area Schools have all come to Camp New Cybertron for some good old-fashioned communing with nature (and because his parents think he and his friends need a vacation from C++ and power tools). Though he’s not an outdoorsman, Chromedome has an abiding love for learning new things, so a chance to expand his horizons in a new place isn’t unwelcome. He might have fun. The stars are much brighter out here than in the city.

Chromedome is never seen without three things. The first is a gray hat snug on his dome: warm, comfortable, with good sensory muffling. The second is a face mask, worn because his immune system leaves something to be desired, and to protect himself Chromedome wears it around groups of other people. The third is his _other_ best friend, Rewind. Well. He doesn’t know if “best friend” is the right word, considering that best friends don’t really hold hands, and don’t say that they _like_ each other, a _lot_ , and he isn’t sure that a best friend would make his stomach feel so funny every time he sees him, and... they _certainly_ don’t kiss like he and Rewind tend to. But the alternative is - well, Chromedome just doesn’t know.

Chromedome can be rather serious or sad at times, frustrated at himself at others, and his personality may edge towards morbidity. At his heart, he’s a good kid. You may just have to ignore his sharper bits.


End file.
